Frederick adam and john knapik



P. ADAM & J. KNAPIK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented Apr. 14, 189-1.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

FREDERICK ADAM AND JOHN KNAPIK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO BLATTNER & ADAM, OF SAME PLACE.

- ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,551, dated April 14, 1891.

7 Application filed November 13, 1890. Serial No. 330,185. (No model.)

T0 60% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK ADAM and JOHN KNAPIK, both of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Switches for Incandescent Lights, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. This is an electric switch, the case of which is about flush with the wall. It is arranged to be held in both its positions by the same spring, the spring acting to prevent its remaining in any intermediate position.

The invention includes, also, a novel device for binding the conducting-wires.

Figure I is a front view of the device. Fig. II is a rear view of the device. Figs. III and IV are section views at III IV, Fig. V, showing, respectively, the current broken and closed. Fig. V is a transverse section at V V, Fig. IV. Figs. VI and VII are enlarged detail sections showing the parts in opposite postions. Fig. VIII is a section at VI VII, Fig. V, with the switch-bar removed. Fig. IX is an enlarged section of one of the bindingposts at V V, Fig. IV. Figs. X and XI are perspective views of springs made, respectively, of fiat and round metal.

1 is a case, which is shown as rectangular, but which maybe made of any other suitable shape.

2 is a marginal flange, which is intended to lie fiat against the face of the wall, the body of the case being sunk in the wall. The case is most properly made of metal, and in order to insulate the working parts from the case they are attached to a block or plate 3 of any suitable insulating material. The bindingposts 4. are screwed in the plate 3 and extend through the same. They are made tubular to receive the ends of the conducting-wires 5. The projecting ends 6 of the posts are made tapering and screw-threaded upon the outer side, and they are slotted from the end longitudinally, so as to form them into a number of flexible tongues adapted to be forced inward upon the wire 5 by a nut 7, that screws on the conical end 6. The tubular binding posts pass through the contact-springs 8,which are held in place between the plate 3 and collars 9 on the binding-posts. These springs are slotted longitudinally from the outer ends,

to insure full contact with the switch-bar 10, the ends of which in making contact and and the springs 8. (See Fig. IV.) The contact-bar turns freelyon the operating-stem 11, having bearing between the plate 3 and a collar 12 on the stem.

13 is an arm turning freely on the stem 11 between the collar 12 and the head 14.

15 is a stud projecting from the arm, the end of the stud being close to the surface of the plate, so that as the arm swings (upon the stem) the stud shall strike against the points 16 and 17 of the switch-bar and swing it on its pivot, (the stem.)

The arm- 13 has only two points of restnamely, at the limits of its movements, as seen in Figs. III and IV, respectively, and also in Figs. VI and VII. To these positions the arm is impelled by a curved spring 18, one end of which is connected to the arm 13 at 19 and the other to a fixed pin or screw 20.

The construction of the spring is such as to tend to draw the end of the arm 13 toward the point 20. It will be seen that as the arm is moved from either of its points of rest the spring 18 is extended until it reaches a position between the two points of rest, and the spring contracts as the arm moves in either direction from the intermediate position. The head 14. is made of some insulating material, such as vulcanite, which is fixed on the metal part of the stem.

The head has a cross-bar 21, which is in sorted in a hole made diametrically through the head and is held by a screw 22, which screws in an axial screw-threaded hole of the head, and whose point engages in a recess of the bar.

23 23 are studs projecting radially from the collar 12, which, as the stem is turned, are brought in contact with the pin or stud 15 and force the arm 13 from its place of rest past the dead-center, which it reaches when the and when the arm passes said point the spring carries 1t to the other point of rest.

IVhen the switch-bar is in the position forming them into a number of spring-fingers.

closing the circuit pass between the plate 3 spring 18 is at the point of greatest extension,

shown in Fig. IV, the ends are held beneath the contact-springs 8, which act to hold it in position. i

In Fig. VII the switch-bar is shownin the opposite position with one end held by a spring-catch 21. The movement of the stem is limited by a cross pin or stud and stops 26 upon the plate 3.

27 is the cover-plate.

The operation of the device may be briefly described as follows: Supposing the parts to be in theposition seen in Figs. III andVI, the line being broken, the head or button 14: is turned to the left, which turns the arm 13 with it past the dead-center, when the spring 18 throws the arm around to the other point of rest, as seen in Fig. IV, in which movement of the arm the stud 15 strikes against the switch-bar 10 and carries it around to the position shown in Fig. IV, when the current is closed through the switch.

It is not new to mount a switch-arm loosely on an arbor or spindle and provide a shifting device for the switch-arm which is connected with a spring for throwing it suddenly around, said device being tripped by the turning of the spindle, as shown in the patent of L. N. Dillon, No. 399,135, and hence we do not claim the same; but

Ne claim as our invention 1. The combination, in an electric switch, of a stem 11, a pivot-ed switclrbar 1O thereon, a pivoted arm 13 on the stem actuating the switch-bar, said bar and arm being adapted to be moved relatively one to the other, and a single bent spring constructed and arranged to act in the direction of its length and to throw the pivoted arm 13 to its extreme positions, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an electric switch, of a turn-button or stem with studs 23, a pivoted arm 13, with a stud 15, engaged by the studs 23, a switch-bar 10, engaged by the stud 15, springs 8, and the curved spring 18,00nnected to the arm 13, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

FREDERICK ADAM. JOHN KNAPIK.

Witnesses:

BAML. KNIGHT, E. KNIGHT. 

